WICHITA, Kan. – The Wichita State men's tennis team defeated Denver 5-2 and lost to No. 35 Washburn 4-3 Sunday at the Coleman Tennis Complex.

Denver won the first doubles match, but WSU would rebound with a pair of 6-4 wins to take the point. Jesse Ruder-Hook/Diogo Rocha beat Miroslav Herzan/Haru Inoue 6-1 in the second flight. Jocelyn Devilliers/Eddie Stoica upset No. 29 Alex Gasson/Yannik James in the top flight, and Murkel Dellien/Marius Frosa defeated Pedro Fernandez/Wyatt Lovera in the third flight to seal the point.

Diogo Rocha quickly struck first for the Pioneers, defeating Frosa 6-2, 6-2 in the second flight. The loss ends Frosa's four-match winning streak. WSU bounced back with three-straight wins to clinch the dual, starting with Dellien's 6-0, 6-3 victory over Fernandez in the fifth flight. Stoica then won 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 in the sixth flight, and Devilliers soon followed with a 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 win in the fourth flight. Gasson won a three-set battle against Herzan in the third flight, winning 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (2). No. 94-ranked Inoue rounded out the scoring with a 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), 7-5 win over James in the top flight.

Denver dropped to 8-11 with the loss.

Washburn – ranked No.35 in Division II – took the doubles point, beginning with Tommy Hunter/Matt Barlow defeating Dellien/Jan Poboril 6-3 in the second flight. Paul Haase/Chase Brill then topped Stoica/Andrea Caligiana 6-4 in the third flight. Inoue/Herzan were leading Alejandro Plaza/Blake Hunter 4-3, but went unfinished.

In singles play, Dellien tied the dual with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Tommy Hunter in the fourth flight. Barlow responded for the Ichabods, defeating Stoica 6-2, 6-4 in the third flight. In the sixth flight, Caligiana battled Brill to three sets, winning 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 and tying the dual at 2-2. Washburn regained the lead, as Haase topped Poboril 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 in the fifth flight. No. 94 Inoue fought back from an early deficit to defeat No. 31 Plaza 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 and force the dual to go down to the final match. Herzan and Blake Hunter had a marathon match in the second flight to decide the dual, with Hunter ultimately winning 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) to win the match for Washburn.

With the two singles wins, Inoue improves to 10-4 in duals (all in the top flight). Dellien's two wins improved his record to 13-6, and is now 7-2 over his last nine contests.

Wichita State remains one match above .500 with a 12-11 (1-1 MVC) record. Washburn improves to 11-3.

Up Next:
WSU will be at home next weekend, hosting fellow Valley contender Drake on Sat., April 15 at 11:30 a.m., and then UTSA on Sun., April 16 at 11 a.m. Both matches will be at the Coleman Tennis Complex.
 

---

Wichita State 5, Denver 2
 
Singles competition
1. #94 Haru Inoue (WSU) def. Yannik James (DEN) 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), 7-5
2. Diogo Rocha (DEN) def. Marius Frosa (WSU) 6-2, 6-2
3. Alex Gasson (DEN) def. Miroslav Herzan (WSU) 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7-2)
4. Jocelyn Devilliers (WSU) def. Jesse Ruder-Hook (DEN) 1-6, 7-5, 6-2
5. Murkel Dellien (WSU) def. Pedro F. Del Valle (DEN) 6-0, 6-3
6. Eddie Stoica (WSU) def. Sean Huynh (DEN) 6-4, 1-6, 7-5
 
Doubles competition
1. Jocelyn Devilliers/Eddie Stoica (WSU) def. #29 Alex Gasson/Yannik James (DEN) 6-4
2. Jesse Ruder-Hook/Diogo Rocha (DEN) def. Miroslav Herzan/Haru Inoue (WSU) 6-1
3. Murkel Dellien/Marius Frosa (WSU) def. Pedro F. Del Valle/Wyatt Lovera (DEN) 6-4
 
Match Notes:
Denver 8-11
Wichita State 12-10
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (2,5,6,4,3,1)

---

#35 Washburn 4, Wichita State 3

Singles competition
1. #94 Haru Inoue (WSU) def. #31 Valarezo Plaza,Aleja (WU) 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
2. Hunter,Blake (WU) def. Miroslav Herzan (WSU) 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4)
3. Barlow,Matt (WU) def. Eddie Stoica (WSU) 6-2, 6-4
4. Murkel Dellien (WSU) def. Hunter,Tommy (WU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Haase,Paul (WU) def. Jan Poboril (WSU) 7-5, 2-6, 6-1
6. Andrea Caligiana (WSU) def. Brill,Chase (WU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Miroslav Herzan/Haru Inoue (WSU) vs. #15 Valarezo Plaza,Aleja/Hunter,Blake (WU) 3-4, unfinished
2. Barlow,Matt/Hunter,Tommy (WU) def. Jan Poboril/Murkel Dellien (WSU) 6-3
3. Brill,Chase/Haase, Paul (WU) def. Andrea Caligiana/Eddie Stoica (WSU) 6-4

Match Notes:
Washburn 12-3; National ranking #35
Wichita State 12-11
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (4,3,6,5,1,2)